WEST SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts School Building Authority has delivered a blow to Mayor Gregory C. Neffinger’s plan to appoint his own school building committee to oversee construction of the $107 million new West Springfield High School.

Neffinger earlier stated his intention to take oversight of the high school project from the city’s standing building committee, the Planning and Construction Committee, and give it to a new committee he wanted to create. The mayor had argued that taking that responsibility from the Planning and Construction Committee would give it more time to devote to its primary purpose of evaluating city buildings and making recommendations on renovations.

In a letter to Neffinger dated April 16, Holly McClanan, the authority’s associate general counsel, wrote that prior to approving the mayor’s appointments, the city must provide documentation of any actions taken by the Town Council with regard to the proposed membership of the proposed committee.

McClanan also wrote that the authority’s approval is subject to “receipt of a written certification by the Town Attorney that the role and composition of the proposed SBC is consistent with all applicable provisions of the law, including the City’s charter and ordinances. As of the date of this letter, the MSBA has not received that certification.”

In addition, McClanan wrote that the city’s town attorney advised the MSBA by a letter dated Feb. 27 that he recommended the proposed membership of the new committee be submitted to the town council for its approval. The town attorney is Simon J. Brighenti Jr.

Neffinger, who has maintained that he does not need to submit the names of the proposed members of the proposed committee to the Town Council, could not be reached for comment.

The high school building project is expected to be completed in February.

"The letter backs up everything we have been saying for some time now," Town Council member Brian J. Griffin said of himself and his colleagues on the Town Council.

Griffin said that by all accounts other than Neffinger’s the Planning and Construction Committee has done an excellent job overseeing the high school building project.